The U.S. Coast Guard announced Friday it has concluded its diesel fuel recovery operation from a yacht that caught fire and partially sank in Marina del Rey in September, but the cause of the blaze remains unknown.
The vessel dubbed The Admiral caught fire around 8:30 p.m. Sept. 18 while it was docked in Basin A. Flames engulfed the vessel, and the yacht’s owner told the Los Angeles County Fire Department that there were “1,000 rounds of unspent ammunition and fireworks onboard.”
Residents in the area said they heard multiple explosions resonating throughout the harbor as the vessel was consumed by flames. Fire officials said two people were able to get off the boat uninjured.
Fire crews poured water onto the burning vessel, which was ultimately destroyed and partially sank into the harbor.
According to the Coast Guard, the diesel recovery efforts wrapped up Thursday. Crews boarded the vessel Thursday “and confirmed there was no remaining pollution threat from the vessel.”
“Crews worked to recover the diesel, raise the sunken vessel and remove any pollution threat from the vessel over the last several weeks,” according to the Coast Guard. “No impacts were reported to any sensitive sites during the response.”
Coast Guard officials said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The owner of the vessel has set up a claims process for other affected vessels in the marina at AdmiralFire2024.com.